UK’s largest school-based esports tournament to return for second year as part of London Games Festival

The UK’s biggest school-based esports tournament, the Digital Schoolhouse National Schools Esports Tournament, is returning for a second year as part of 2018’s London Games Festival.

Ukie has today announce that the tournament, powered by PlayStation, will be returning as part of the capital's annual celebration of all things games with over 1,000 school pupils expected to take part in the event.

The game the players will actually be competing in has yet to be announced, although last year was Rocket League and it’s likely to be something similarly easy to understand and watch as opposed to 1000 students competing in top-level League of Legends matches.

While the London Games Festival takes place in April, this tournament will launch at the end of 2017 with regional qualifiers, with the grand final taking place in London for the Games Festival proper.

Last year’s participating schools reported a rise in interest in both the games and esports-related careers during the competition, with a huge 87% of participating pupils reporting a greater interest in studying computing and tech-related qualifications, with 75% of students reporting significantly increased interest in a career in the video games industry. Other benefits included increased pupil attendance during the early heats, with several of the participating schools continuing on with an esports program in the aftermath of the tournament.

Ukie CEO, Dr Jo Twist OBE said in a press release: “We are delighted to be bringing the tournament back again. Esports is a growth sector as part of the games and interactive entertainment industry and we want the next generation to experience it not just watch it. Playing in and producing esports tournaments develops so many different skills as well as a sense of pride, and is a career pathway that can be hugely rewarding. But the schools tournament is also a fantastic way to inspire and give confidence to young people, showing them that if they study the right creative and technology subjects, they will have valuable transferable skills needed by digital creative businesses in the UK now and in the future.”